: ̗̀➛part two of the
one for the road series
PHOTOGRAPH / LN4
lando norris, famous formula 1 driver, takes a picture of a beautiful girl at sunset in Monaco one evening, but she disappears before he realises how...
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ELEANOR EVERDEEN went about her day as usual. Except that this day didn't resemble her usual daily routine in the slightest. She'd only been here for three days and was still getting used to having the southern sun basking on her skin instead of the cool drops of rain that were much too common back in London.
She couldn't believe she was wearing a thin dress in the middle of April without a jacket on top. She hadn't left her apartment in London without a coat for months, and here she was with a tote bag slung over her shoulder, a long skirt ruffling along her legs in the sea breeze.
The doorbell to the small café in Monte-Carlo rang, announcing her arrival to the dozen or so people sitting in armchairs with laptops in front of them and a cup of steaming hot coffee or tea beside them on marble tabletops.
Eleanor walked over to the counter, taking out her AirPods and popping them back into their case. She waited patiently in line, behind an elderly couple struggling to read the menu written on a blackboard hanging on the wall. While they stumbled through mediocre French, Eleanor nibbled on her bottom lip, trying to choose which beverage she would get today.
When she finally made her choice, right as the couple before her moved along to the other end of the counter, she spoke in her best French (which wasn't all that good) and ordered an iced oat milk caramel macchiato with an extra shot of espresso.
She spent the next few minutes gazing around the beautiful café, with its modern interior and marble surfaces, gold accents and a variety of plants hanging in macramé pots from the ceiling. She couldn't believe she was here, in beautiful Monaco. It felt like just days ago that she had gotten the call if she could spend a couple of weeks here. Here she was, loving every second of it. Then, her name was called, pulling her from her thoughts.
"Let me help you with that!" Someone said as she struggled to balance her laptop and phone in one hand. She turned around, coming face to face with a tanned man, brown curls hidden beneath a navy blue cap. He was dressed in a creamy linen button down, the top two buttons undone, revealing a golden necklace that caught the sun rays shining through the window, and navy shorts.
"Hi," The man said, smiling sweetly. He had a small tooth gap, a charming one. It suited his slightly innocent-looking expression, moles splattered across his right cheek. He reached for the coffee cup and picked it up, gesturing with his free hand for her to lead the way.
Eleanor glanced over her shoulder, partly unsure why this beautiful human was offering to help her, while also in part confused as to what was happening. When he picked up his own green iced drink, she started towards a pair of sofas in the back corner of the room.
She set her tote bag and laptop down on the marble table and sat down, making eye contact with the stranger in front of her.
He smiled, reaching out his hand after setting down both their drinks. "I'm Lando. I saw you when I came in and I couldn't not say hi."
